Extended Biography
For more than 16 years, John Ashmen served as the president and CEO of Citygate Network, formerly known as the Association of Gospel Rescue Missions. With member organizations throughout the U.S., Canada, and the Caribbean, Citygate Network is North America’s oldest and largest federation of faith-focused crisis shelters and life-transformation centers. In most major cities, a Citygate Network-affiliated mission is the most comprehensive homeless services provider, and in some cities, it is the only homeless services provider.
During his time in leadership, he and his team totally transformed this century-old alliance that was struggling with identity, relevancy, and profitability. He successfully led the organization through a reassessment, relocation, re-staffing, refocusing, potential rebellion, rebranding, and a pandemic. Through all of this, Citygate Network membership grew by more than 50 percent, attendance at member events tripled, the number of tangible services offered to members increased fourfold, and the association experienced the greatest financial growth in its history. Today, Citygate Network is an extremely valuable and strongly viable association that is highly regarded and greatly respected by its members, other faith-focused organizations, and the government.
Prior to leading Citygate Network, John served for nearly 15 years in what was essentially the COO role at Christian Camp and Conference Association, overseeing publications, educational events, technical resources, and marketing for this national confederation. For much of that time, he traveled extensively and was an advisor to the board of directors of Christian Camping International (CCI)/Canada, plus he helped expand the scope and leadership expertise of CCI/Russia and CCI/Ukraine. Drawing on his experience in actual camp administration in New Jersey for 15 years, and then association management (working with more than 1,000 camps and conference centers), John was the lead writer and executive producer for the multi-award-winning Cairn Series™ professional training CDs, which were deemed the definitive work on Christian camp and conference history and leadership orientation.
John holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Bible, with a social work emphasis, from Cairn University in Pennsylvania, and has a Master of Organizational Management from the University of Phoenix. His writings have appeared in numerous books, journals, and websites, and he continues to teach ministry management seminars nationally and internationally. John’s book, Invisible Neighbors, (published by Cross Section) is widely considered to be the how-to manual for followers of Jesus who are serious about meaningful engagement with the poor and powerless.
He still serves on the board of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE), a network of denominations, organizations, schools, and more than 45,000 local churches from nearly 40 different denominations. Additionally, he was previously a member of the Circle of Protection, an alliance of national Christian leaders and denominational heads who are focused on promoting legislation to end hunger and poverty. He was also appointed to the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) Strategic Planning Task Force and worked directly with America’s Homelessness Czar. His work as a member of the USICH COVID-19 Task Force was recognized at the National Press Club as John and his team were credited with likely saving thousands of lives in 2020 and 2021.
John and his wife, Judi—who retired after more than 30 years in the medical field—live in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Together, they enjoy tennis, pickleball, and hiking in remote mountainous areas, at home and abroad. Their three married children—who live in New Jersey, Texas, and Tennessee—have provided them with seven grandchildren, whom they visit as often as they can.
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One of the programs John envisioned and started at Citygate Network brought together city mission dynamics, Christian camping dynamics, and Christian music. Click here to listen to John, Amy Grant, and others explain the initiative.
Click here to listen to John talk about why homelessness remains a growing problem in our society.
At Citygate Network's 2023 Annual Conference and Exposition, John was honored for his 16-plus years of service to the association and its members. Click here to see part of the tribute and view some of the video testimonials that were sent in.
